Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is very real and can be extremely debilitating.
Have you experienced an event that was so terrifying or upsetting that in the last month;
You have had nightmares about it or think about it even though you don’t want to?
Have tried very hard not to think about it
You go out of your way to avoid situations that remind you of it?
Causes you to be constantly on guard, watchful or easily startled?
Makes you feel numb or detached from others, activities or your environment?
If you have answered yes to 2 or more the questions you are very likely to be experiencing post traumatic stress disorder.
PTSD symptoms can cause significant distress and disability which require the services of a multi-disciplinary health team which can include an Kinesiologist and or Naturopath, particularly when the condition has been present for months and has become a chronic condition. It can also been be confounded by chronic pain, depression, anxiety and lead to heavy alcohol and or drug use. Anger, thoughts of suicide and gambling can also be present in people experiencing this condition.
Definition
This condition (PTSD) includes the development of psychological and behavioural symptoms following the exposure to a significant traumatic event such as severe accidents, assaults, sexual violence, and military combat or natural disasters such as bushfires. People working in front-line services such as military, law enforcement and first responder health & disaster teams are more potentially more at risk. PTSD is associated with high rates of depression, anxiety and heavy alcohol or drug use placing a heavy burden the individual’s family. It can also been be confounded by chronic pain along with thoughts of suicide and anger Currently approximately 5.2% of Australian population is affected when compared with 8.3% of Australian Defence Force (Wallace & Copper,2015).
Diagnosis
Symptoms usually begin within three months of the traumatic event but can begin, often much later. Symptoms need to be present for at least a month and be severe enough to interfere with work and your personal and social relationships. A psychologist or psychiatrist who was experience in mental health issues can assist with your diagnosis.
To be diagnosed with PTSD, an adult must have all of the following for at least 1 month:
At least one re-experiencing symptom (flashbacks, bad thoughts or dreams)
At least one avoidance symptom (avoiding places or events which remind you of the event and can also trigger a re experience of symptoms)
At least two arousal and reactivity symptoms (feeling tense on edge, angry outbursts or difficulty sleeping making it hard to do daily living activities )
At least two cognition and mood symptoms ( trouble recalling key features of the traumatic event, negative thoughts about oneself or the world, feelings of guilt or blame, loss of interest and enjoyment in daily living activities).
Physiological Affect of Trauma
Emotions such as anger, fear, sadness and panic are processed in the amygdala which is situated in temporal lobes of our brain (one each side) and works closely with the limbic system which is also involved in processing our emotions, memory and survival instincts. (See diagram).
The amygdala is also responsible for storing memories and emotions which are used in the future to recognise similar events. For example if you have been attacked by a dog in the past the amygdala will assist you to evaluate the event and may increase your fear or alertness when around dogs.
The Power of Neuro-Energetic Kinesiology
In PTSD there is heightened activity in the amygdala. Neuro-energetic Kinesiology reduces the activity in the amygdala where fear based emotions are processed, decreasing stress and down-regulating hyper-alertness. Kinesiology techniques will reduce the fear tags in amygdala while reducing the emotional charge and stress associated with the trauma. During the kinesiology procedure the frontal cortex is able to process the event and put things into context. This enables new neural pathways to these memories to be created without fear being attached to the memories.
If you or someone you know is experiencing PTSD, anxiety or panic attacks neuro-energetic kinesiology can help recover. On average 5-10 sessions are required to show significant benefits, depending on the severity of symptoms. My background as a psychiatric nurse and naturopath enables me to work with your case manager in order for you to achieve for the best outcome for you.
For a confidential consultation contact Fiona on 0404 470 497 or BOOK your appointment online.